Am I on the right track?

[Paul41]

I’m recently diagnosed as pre diabetic or more accurately again as I was in this state some years ago.

As I’ve some weight to lose I thought it best to concentrate on that as much as the pre diabetes.

It’s low carbs and fats that I’m confused about . There seems to be so many contradictory opinions and recommendations especially if you read posts from USA compared to the UK.

My meal last night was a small can of tuna and a salad made from spring onions, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber and a can of Cannellini beans.

My breakfast today was a mashed banana and tahini with porridge oats and semi skimmed milk.

As I read what I’ve ate now I’m concerned the breakfast idea isn’t a good one but the evening meal probably is?

My head hurts

 

[HSSS]

I’d agree dinner looks great. Breakfast would have sent my glucose sky high. Have you got a meter? Use it to learn which foods affect your levels. Test before eating and 2 hrs later and compare the difference. A big jump 2mmol or more and you didn’t cope normally with it. Under 8mmol afterwards is also a goal to work towards over time.

As to the UK/USA thing I suspect that’s much more about the low carb/low fat debate than location. For the last couple of generations the focus has been on losing weight by cutting fat to control type 2. Over more recent years an awful lot of success is being had by cutting carbs (the ones that tuen to glucose as they are digested!) rather than good fats that keep us feeling full, able to stick to a change of eating without hunger and are essential for life. If we aren’t hungry we make better choices, don’t overeat so much and are having less of the foods we struggle to utilise well. Incidentally that’s also what we all did prior to the 1980’s fear of fat sweeping the western world, and when few were obese or type 2!

Much dietary advice assumes a fully working body. Type 2 aren’t fully functional. Our carbohydrate handling mechanism is faulty. So we can’t use carbs and glucose well for energy as designed and end up storing much of it as body fat instead, after overloading our blood with too much glucose in the process. We also raise our insulin levels in the attempt to handle that blood glucose which acts as a fat storage hormone and inhibit fat burning.

 

[catinahat]

Your pre diabetes means you are beginning to have difficulty processing carbs, or to be more precise the glucose that results when carbs are digested.
If that glucose can't be readily used to fuel your body it causes higher blood sugar levels and weight gain because the unused glucose will eventually get stored away.
Depending on which expert you listen to the inability to effectively deal with the glucose is because the fat is blocking insulin from doing its job effectively
Or insulin not doing its job effectively is causing the fat gain , sort of chicken an egg scenario.
Which one is correct is endlessly debated by people more intelligent than me so I only have my own experience to go on.
If I base my meals on healthy carbs like wholemeal bread, pasta, fruit and low fat this and that. My blood sugar levels will increase and I will gain weight, so I get sicker and fatter.
If on the other hand I base my diet around protein, healthy natural fats and leafy green veg and salads. Avoiding starchy carbs and most fruits, the exact opposite happens, my blood sugar levels come down to such a level that if tested today I would not be diagnosed with T2 or pre D, and I have lost weight.